Alzheimer Disease
Not what you're looking for?
Explain how you would confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Be specific. Use the research to help you.
Explain how a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease may be relevant to a forensic psychology professional in court when evaluating a defendant.
Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary
In 1950, Psychiatrist Aloysius Alzheimer observed a 51 year old man that suffered from memory loss, confusion, unfounded suspicions about family and caregivers amongst other symptoms that did not fit any disorder or disease that Dr. Alzheimer was aware of.
Solution Preview
Alzheimer's disease is "a degenerative brain disorder of unknown origin; causes progressive memory loss, motor deficits and eventually death" (Carlson, 2008, p. 446). Alzheimer's disease is a form of dementia that effects a small percentage if individuals over 65 years of age and almost half of people over the age to 85. Alzheimer's disease is believed to cause widening of the sulci (grooves in the brain) and of the temporal and parietal lobes of the brain, which means a substantial loss of cortical tissue (Carlson, 2008).
Alzheimer's disease has effects on the brain and the body that as I pointed out previously, that gradually progresses and eventually leads to death. The most common symptom that seems to be related to Alzheimer's is dementia. Dementia is "a loss of cognitive abilities such as memory, perception, verbal ability, and judgment" (Carlson, 2008). To be classified as dementia, two of the four the cognitive abilities listed need to decline to such a severe level that it interferes with the individual's day-to-day life (Kidd, 2008). ...
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
Developmental Psychology
This quiz explores the concepts, theories and key terminology associated with human psychological development.
Controversies in Developmental Psychology
This quiz addresses controversies in developmental psychology.
Piaget's Theories on Development
Do you know all about Piaget's theories on development? Find out with this quiz!
Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Stages
Erik Erikson researched eight stages of psychosocial development beginning at birth and ending at death. This quiz challenges your knowledge of each stage, the corresponding age range, and the conflicts present during each stage.
Concepts in Personality Psychology
This quiz will test student's understanding of concepts relating to personality psychology.